This time it's slightly bad news --- slightly, maybe, perhaps, i don't know
The original "plan" and i use the term lightly, and informal discussions, around the Wheels site were, as i posted here many times that Blues would get the Wheels site (where residential housing will never be allowed - even after the current remediation) at a
VERY cheap price in return for the St Andrews site being given to BCC.
The upside of this for BCC was
a) an ideal site to build social housing complexes/blocks of flats etc with existing services, bus routes, main roads, the shops (Morrisons etc), close to town ... absolutely perfect
b) any money from the sale of the Wheels site to anyone else but Blues would have had to go to paying off the BCC debt - but a "swap" ? ... lovely.
c) social housing provides a regular income stream to BCC via rents
The obvious upside for Blues was
a) the Wheels site for next to nothing (in relative terms) ... and a massive massive saving on the costs of building a new stadium at the Wheels site because they would have got the land so cheap
but ...
as i posted at
[
www.smallheathalliance.com] ... BCC aren't in charge any more, the Commissioners are. All "deals" of any sort etc are in the bin.
The Commissioners remit is to sell, for cash, whatever they can to bring the BCC debt down - and that would be regardless of the wishes of residents, Andy Street, the Council, MPS etc and regardless of what may be best for BCC in the long run.
So .... IF POSSIBLY MAYBE Blues DID perhaps possibly maybe want to move our ground to the Wheels site
they would need to buy it ... and buy it of the Commissioners. No deals, swapsies, exchanges etc ... cash and selling is all the Commissioners care for.
Therefore if Blues DID want to move to the Wheels site, whilst the Commissioners are running things, they will have to pay for the site
if they want it.
Bummer really.
However .... the Commissioners are, well they usually are, looking for ready cash for stuff. A "fire sale" if you wish....
... and we know Knighthead have cash.
So Blues would (IF they want the site) get it at a knockdown price for a quick easy sale ..... BUT, that very low price would be a lot lot higher than the "next to nothing" deal with BCC.
.... and that leaves Blues with an asset to sell ... namely St Andrews .... to whom ?
I don't know - but for private residential housing the St Andrews site isn't in the most desirable area
So, in short, Blues ain't gonna get Wheels site for "next to nothing" anymore and they would have to balance the expenditure for the purchase against the possibility of having an asset on their hands (St Andrews) that may not be that attractive to buyers/developers
